Toy Slimes Could Lead Your Children To Poor Health Due To The Unsafe Levels Of Boron

In the recent time, you may have seen several DIY videos of how to make slime at home. The slimes, apart from the ick factor are said to reduce stress amongst humans. They are the stress-busters and have entertained kids as well as adults for decades.

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However, the brightly-colored, sticky, and gooey ‘slime’ may be harmful to your children’s health.

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‘Which?’, a consumer watchdog has found unsafe and alarming levels of chemical boron in some slime products. Excessive levels of boron can cause short-term bouts of cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea in children.

Boron is an essential component in making slime thick and sticky. But the European Chemicals Agency has issued a warning stating that boron can cause serious eye irritation and may damage infertility. Moreover, it could harm an unborn child if a pregnant woman comes in contact with boron.

The researchers tested the recommended and popular slimes sold by the major retailers. Out of the 11 tested products, eight exceeded the EU safety limit. The safety limit of Boron is 300mg per kilogram. Among the tested products, some were four times over the limit.

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Recent reports say that children have sustained injuries after trying to copy the slime recipes on the internet. Homemade slimes are also a concern over boron.

The worst slime product tested was the pink Toysmith Jupiter Juice which was stated to have the highest levels of boron at 1400mg/kg, which is more than four times the permitted level of boron.